US Approves $385 Mln Arms Sale To Taiwan. How The US Is Quietly Yet Steadily Arming Taiwan To The Teeth Much To China’s Dismay.

The U.S. recently approved a $385 million arms sale to Taiwan, which includes spare parts for F-16 fighter jets, radars, and other military equipment. This deal, though significant, has largely flown under the radar amid the continuous tension in the Taiwan Strait, but it signals a deepening military partnership between Washington and Taipei—a move that’s bound to keep Beijing on edge.

Let’s break it down. The bulk of the package—$320 million—covers essential spare parts for Taiwan’s F-16 fleet and state-of-the-art Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars, designed to boost the island’s defense capabilities. The additional $65 million deal includes mobile communication systems supplied by General Dynamics. For Taiwan, this isn’t just about getting better gear; it’s about keeping their F-16s combat-ready and reinforcing a “credible defense force” in a volatile region.

Taiwan’s defense ministry welcomed the news, stating that the arms package would likely “take effect” within a month. The island’s leadership made it clear: the goal is to fortify its defenses and maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait and the broader Indo-Pacific. The underlying message? Taiwan isn’t backing down from China’s growing military pressure.

The $385 million sale isn’t a one-off event. Just last month, the U.S. announced a potential $2 billion arms package for Taiwan, including an advanced air defense system tested in Ukraine. These steady arms deals underscore how the U.S. is quietly yet consistently bolstering Taiwan’s military. It’s a delicate dance: arming Taiwan without triggering a full-blown confrontation with China, but the stakes keep rising.

Taiwan’s President Heads to Hawaii and Guam, Beijing Fumes

Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te is gearing up for a Pacific tour that’s already stirring up tension. His planned stopovers in Hawaii and Guam—both key U.S. military hubs—have drawn sharp criticism from Beijing, which could respond with another round of military drills near Taiwan.

Lai’s trip officially kicks off with visits to the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau, three of Taiwan’s 12 formal diplomatic allies. But it’s the stopovers on U.S. soil that have caught everyone’s attention.

For Lai, this marks his first visit to the U.S. since taking office in May, and it’s no simple layover. He’s expected to “meet with old friends” and engage in closed-door talks with U.S. think tanks, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency.

This kind of unofficial U.S. visit isn’t new for Taiwanese leaders. Despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, the U.S. remains Taiwan’s strongest supporter and primary arms supplier. And with China’s military flexing its muscles in the region, this partnership is more critical than ever.

Beijing’s Ire and Military Threats

China’s reaction? Predictably furious. Beijing’s defense ministry has warned it will “resolutely crush any separatist attempt seeking Taiwan independence.” The Taiwan Affairs Office went further, labeling Lai’s visit a “provocative act” and demanding that the U.S. stop sending “wrong signals” to Taiwan’s pro-independence forces.

China’s stance is clear- Taiwan belongs to them, even though they’ve never actually governed it. Meanwhile, Taiwan insists it’s a sovereign state and that its future should be decided by its 23.5 million people.

A Strategic Timing?

Lai’s trip comes at a sensitive time for U.S.-China relations. With a potential leadership change in the U.S.—as Donald Trump eyes a return to the White House—both Beijing and Taipei are watching closely. A senior Taiwanese official told media that China might use this U.S. transition period to stage a show of force, hoping to put pressure on the incoming administration and test its resolve.

Beijing has already staged two significant rounds of war games near Taiwan this year under its “Joint Sword 2024” exercises, and another round could be imminent. According to a Taiwanese security report, any new drills could match the scale of those conducted in October, making them hard to ignore.

Taiwan’s defense ministry isn’t taking these threats lightly. In a statement, it warned that any deliberate attempt to create tension in the Taiwan Strait would undermine regional peace, emphasizing that such actions are not “the proper behavior of a responsible modern country.”

This isn’t the first time Beijing has flexed its military muscle in response to a Taiwan-U.S. interaction. Last year, China staged three days of drills after then-President Tsai Ing-wen visited California. Lai’s trip could spark a similar reaction, but Taiwan remains steadfast in its commitment to maintaining regional peace and strengthening ties with like-minded democracies.

The U.S. Is Quietly Arming Taiwan—But Is It Enough?

Since 1979, when the U.S. shifted diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China, it’s been walking a tightrope: supplying Taiwan with just enough weapons to defend itself without provoking Beijing too much. This balancing act, guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, worked for decades. The U.S. could maintain “strategic ambiguity,” keeping Beijing at bay while standing as Taiwan’s strongest ally.

But that strategy is now showing its age. The military balance in the Taiwan Strait has swung heavily in China’s favor, and the old approach just doesn’t cut it anymore. Officially, Washington insists its policy hasn’t changed—but actions speak louder than words. From Taiwan’s perspective, the U.S. is clearly ramping up its support, and for good reason: Taiwan is outmatched and in desperate need of help.

Taiwan’s Military Is Underprepared and Overwhelmed

The reality on the ground is sobering. Taiwan’s military is under-equipped and undertrained. Most of its tanks are relics from another era, and the army lacks modern, lightweight missile systems. The command structure? Stuck in the past, with doctrines that haven’t been updated in over 50 years. Worse, many front-line units operate at just 60% of their intended manpower.

And it’s not just about equipment. Taiwan’s counter-intelligence operations in China are practically non-existent, and the military conscription system is in shambles. In 2013, service time was slashed from one year to just four months. Though it’s being bumped back up to 12 months next year, the damage is done. The current system is more like a “summer camp” than serious military training.

One recent conscript summed it up:

“There was no regular training. We went to the shooting range maybe twice a month, using guns from the 1970s. No one taught us how to aim properly, so most of us missed. There was zero physical training. We had a fitness test at the end, but no prep for it.”

Senior commanders, knowing these young recruits are only around for a short stint, seem indifferent. The result? A poorly trained, poorly prepared force.

Running Out of Time

In Washington, there’s a growing sense of urgency. Taiwan needs to reform and rebuild its military—fast. The U.S. has stepped in, even retraining Taiwan’s forces, as the clock ticks down.

For decades, Taiwan’s leaders banked on the belief that a Chinese invasion was too risky and complex to pull off. Like Britain, Taiwan prioritized its navy and air force over its army. The idea was straightforward: engage the enemy in the Strait, and wipe them out on the beaches.

That might have worked once, but not anymore. China now boasts the world’s largest navy and a far superior air force. A war game simulation conducted by a think tank last year painted a grim picture: in a conflict with China, Taiwan’s navy and air force would likely be decimated within 96 hours.

A Shift to “Fortress Taiwan”
Under mounting pressure from Washington, Taipei is pivoting to a “fortress Taiwan” strategy. The goal? Make the island a nightmare for China to invade—fortifying its defenses to the point where an invasion would be nearly impossible.

The defense focus in Taiwan is shifting—ground troops, infantry, and artillery are now at the center. The plan? Repel a Chinese invasion on the beaches and, if needed, fight the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in towns, cities, and from fortified bases deep within Taiwan’s rugged, jungle-covered mountains. But there’s a catch: this puts the heavy burden of defense back on Taiwan’s outdated army.

“Since the U.S. cut formal ties in 1979, our army has been almost completely isolated. They’re still operating under Vietnam War-era U.S. military doctrine,” explains Dr. Lai.

For years, neither Taipei nor Washington saw this as a major issue. Through the 1990s and early 2000s, Taiwanese and U.S. companies were busy setting up factories across China. Beijing, eager to join the World Trade Organization, played nice. The global community welcomed China’s growing economy, and the U.S. believed that trade and investment would keep peace in the Taiwan Strait.

A New Reality: Lessons from Ukraine and Xi’s Rise

That optimism is now history. The rise of Xi Jinping, with his strong nationalist agenda, combined with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has shattered those once-comforting assumptions.

For Taiwan, Ukraine’s experience has been a wake-up call. Artillery, with its high rate of fire and pinpoint accuracy, has dominated the battlefield. But Taiwan’s artillery? Outdated and vulnerable. Many units are still equipped with Vietnam War or even World War II-era guns, manually loaded and cumbersome to move—making them easy targets.

Taiwan’s vulnerabilities have pushed Washington to act. Taiwanese ground troops are now being sent to the U.S. for training, while U.S. trainers are embedding with Taiwan’s marines and special forces.

Yet, a fierce debate rages in Washington: How far should the U.S. go in supporting Taiwan? Some experts argue that any public declaration of support could provoke Beijing rather than deter it. But there’s also the undeniable truth—Taiwan can’t defend itself without U.S. help.

As one seasoned China analyst puts it, “We need to keep quiet about strategic ambiguity while arming Taiwan to the teeth.”

It’s a delicate dance, but with rising tensions and Taiwan’s defense in the spotlight, the China-Taiwan-US dynamics is proving to be too hot to handle.